It’s hard to believe that I’ve known that guy for over 8 years now. When I wrote my first book, my editor said we needed blurbs for the cover (the "This book cured my warts!" kind of thing), and we could use someone who was a big skeptic. Naturally I thought of Randi. I sent him a note, he agreed happily, and sent a great quote that immediately went on the back cover of the book. Shortly after that he invited me to talk at the very first Amaz!ng Meeting, and the rest is, as they say, history.

Randi is formidable, and as Carl Sagan said, "We may not always agree with Randi, but we ignore him at our peril." Sagan was a pretty smart guy.

Randi’s a pretty smart guy too, and does a lot of good for the world. Now, I’m not saying he’s 900 years old and wise, but the resemblance to Yoda can sometimes be uncanny…

Randi,
On this the anniversary of your birth,
If you are the sort to celebrate such things
then by all means do so with my hearty congratulations.
If you are not the sort to celebrate this day then,
good day to you.

*Astrological* limits? Sheesh. The article itself is about the improvement in scientific instrumentation and the impact it has had on astronomy, and I’m sure the author is as horrified as the rest of us at the editorial license taken here.

What a genuinely nice person! I have enjoyed watching him on TV for years. And, getting to meet him briefly at TAM 9 – if my theist friends are right – I will have simply wonderful company in hell. Happy birthday!